Nathan Mutungi, the Chairperson Nyakihanga Fruits and Vegetable Growers Cooperative Society, says they decided to suspend the operations of the factory due to numerous challenges that require government intervention.
A pineapple
processing factory in Ntungamo district has halted its operation, just a year
after it was commissioned.
The Shillings 1.4 billion fruits factory belonging
to Nyakihanga Fruits and Vegetable Grower’s Cooperative Society suspended its
operation at the beginning of February 2021.
Nathan Mutungi, the Chairperson Nyakihanga Fruits and Vegetable Growers
Cooperative Society, says they decided to suspend the operations of the factory
due to numerous challenges that require government intervention.
According to
Mutungi, the mechanical part of the factory is incomplete adding that they also
need filling and packing machines. Apparently, they have been packing the juice
manually, which comprised its quality and was time-consuming.
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He says that they also face a challenge of human since they don’t have
qualified staff to operate the squeezer and boilers in the factory.
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Mutungi says that the factory also lacks vehicles to transport the 300 litres of
the juice they produce, saying they currently use bicycles or hire vehicles that
are costly.
According to Mutungi, because of the numerous challenges they only
operate once or twice a month yet they are expected to operate daily.
Agnes Kyomukama, a pineapple farmer says their hopes to benefit from the factory
have faded since has never collected a single pineapple from the farmers.
“We
expected quick market for our pineapples when the factory was opened but I have
never supplied any pineapple to that factory I even don’t know whether it is
working,” she said.
However,
Mutungi says that owing to the lack of machines they have only decided to take
in pineapples from their executive members who appreciate the challenges
including late payments.
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Although the
factory has suspended its operation, Denis Muhumuza, Itojo Sub County LC V Councillor, says the district council has approved the supply of two million pineapple
suckers to farmers to boost the supply of the raw material to the plant.
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Apparently,
farmers are selling off their pineapples at a giveaway price following a bumper
harvest.
At Nyaruteme market the largest pineapple market along the Ntungamo-Mbarara
road five medium pineapples cost Shillings 2000 while the large ones go for
between Shillings 700 and 1000.
About the Fruit Factory
It was
constructed with support from Uganda Industrial Research Institute at Buhanama
parish, Nyamukana town council in Ntungamo district.
Commissioned by the first
lady, Janet Museveni in January 2020, the factory was expected to serve farmers
from Rwampara, Sheema and Ntungamo districts specifically in the areas of
Itojo, Buhanama, Kayonza and Rukoni sub-counties.
